Читать книгу Passion Ignited - Kayla Perrin, Kayla Perrin - Страница 13

Chapter 5

“Thank you so much for coming in today,” Gabrielle said to her guest, as she was packing up the clothes she had displayed on Your Hour. Cindy Holjak had been the last segment for today, and she had enthusiastically shown various scarves and skirts and blouses made by women in South America. All of the profit went to the women in South America, as a way to help them better their lives. It was all about empowering women in impoverished countries.

“Thank you,” Cindy said. “Anytime I get to talk about this initiative, I’m grateful. This is really changing a lot of women’s lives.”

As Cindy continued to pack up her bags, Gabrielle retreated to the small kitchen outside the studio doors. She needed coffee.

She had stayed with her parents for a good while last night, not wanting to leave them. Her mother needed the company, she knew. Her father just wasn’t the same. He was bitter, miserable. Constantly complaining about the food he had to eat. So she knew that her mother appreciated a change of pace.

Gabrielle had gotten home late, and then had not been able to sleep well. She kept thinking about her father, and how he had changed so drastically.

And all she wanted to do was be able to help him. To turn back the clock to the time before the arsonist struck.

She couldn’t turn back the clock, but she could make a difference. She’d put a call in to Stacy Jackson from Channel 10 news earlier. Their team had been out videoing footage of the fire. Gabrielle was hoping that she could take a look at the footage, and see if the arsonist was anywhere in there. The first order of business when she got into her office was to check emails and her phone messages.

Her cup of coffee in hand, Gabrielle exited the small kitchen and made her way toward her office. She rounded the corner into the main reception area, then stopped dead in her tracks.

She blinked, trying to make sure that she wasn’t imagining things.

“He’s been waiting here for an hour,” Renée the receptionist said.

Gabrielle’s heart was pounding. Omar Ewing was there. Again.

“What—what are you doing here?”

“He said he wants to see you,” Renée went on when Omar said nothing.

He stood up and smiled. He was wearing jeans and a white dress shirt and looked especially fine.

Gabrielle started toward the door that led to the main offices. “I thought I told you to call and set up an appointment,” she said, trying to hide her irritation for Renée’s benefit. “I’m certain I didn’t tell you to just drop by.”

“I was in the neighborhood.”

Sure you were, Gabrielle thought sourly. Then she turned to Renée. “Let me know when my 2:00 appointment gets here.”

Renée said, “Your 2:00?” She looked confused. “I didn’t realize—”

Gabrielle shot her a narrowed gaze, and Renée caught on. “Oh. Of course. That’s right, I forgot all about that appointment.”

Gabrielle pushed through the door, and Omar followed her. She walked swiftly to the second door on the left, which was her office. When she stepped inside, she continued to her desk. She put her clipboard and coffee down and picked up her phone.

“What do you want, Mr. Ewing?”

“I really wish you would call me Omar.”

“Whatever. Why are you here?”

“Why are you so hostile toward me?” Omar took a step toward her, and her body tensed. His large, muscular frame filled the room. She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

“I’m not being hostile.”

His eyes widened. “Could have fooled me.”

Gabrielle sighed softly. “It’s just that I have a lot to do. And you keep showing up. It’s a little annoying.”

“Ouch.”

Gabrielle closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” She needed to get ahold of herself. “I’m not trying to be rude. It’s just... I do have a lot of work to do.”

“And one of those things is finding the arsonist,” Omar stated. “Clearly, it’s something you’re passionate about. As a firefighter, I assure you that I’m passionate about that as well. So why don’t we sit down and put our collective heads together and see what we can come up with. Maybe there’s something you saw, something I saw...we both might have pieces of the puzzle that can help solve this.”

It was an entirely reasonable request, and yet Gabrielle wanted to say no. But did saying no make sense? Omar had a good point. Between what he knew, and what she thought she knew, maybe they could finally nab the arsonist.

Which was what she wanted most in the world.

She just wished she could accomplish this without spending any more time with Omar.

“What are you doing tonight?” Omar asked.

Gabrielle’s eyes bulged. Then she chuckled mirthlessly. “So you’re asking me out to dinner again?”

“I was hoping you reconsidered.”

Gabrielle picked up her coffee and took a sip. She needed this. Her temples were already throbbing, and she didn’t need the added distraction of Omar Ewing.

“So, what do you say?” Omar asked. “Dinner’s on me, of course.”

“I have a terrible headache, and a ton of work to do—”

“Which is why you could use a break,” Omar interjected. He glanced around her office. “This place is dull. Uninspiring. No wonder you have a headache. It’s no place to have a meeting.”

Good Lord, would he never give up?

“Pick the place, 6:00.”

“Is that what works for you?” Gabrielle asked. “You give orders, and women just have to obey?”

He took another step toward her, and her heart began to race. “Consider it the doctor’s orders,” he said. “Because you look like you could use a prescription for fun.”

“Fun! I thought you said this is about work.”

“See—look how you reacted when I said the word fun. It’s as though it’s foreign to you. Yes, this is about work. But it’s also about perhaps, enjoying each other’s company...”

Gabrielle frowned. The problem was, she got the feeling that if she didn’t say yes, Omar wouldn’t go away. He was like a dog with a bone, unable to give up.

“Fine,” she said.

His eyes lit up, and something about that made her stomach tickle. The idea that he wanted to go out with her appealed to the part of her that irrationally found him attractive.

“6:00?”

“6:00 is fine,” Gabrielle said. “And you want me to choose the restaurant? Okay. There is a place on Elm Street. Italian.”

“Or what about that soul food place? It’s also on Elm. The play good music.”

Gabrielle was about to point out that he had suggested she choose the place, but she didn’t bother. “If that’s what you want—”

“No, you’re right,” Omar said. “The Italian place will be quieter, more intimate.”

Her eyes widened at the word intimate. “Do I have to reiterate that this is not a date?”

“It’s a working date. And a place that’s quieter is a better spot to talk. Especially given what we will be talking about.”

“Oh. Of course.”

The office phone rang, and Gabrielle could see that it was from Renée’s extension. She picked up. “Gabrielle Leonard.”

“It’s 1:55,” Renée said. “There’s no one here. What do you want me to do?”

“Okay so he’s been delayed by ten minutes? That’s fine. There are some things I need to do before he gets here anyway,” Gabrielle said into the phone, making her story up as she went along. “Thank you, Renée.”

“Your appointment is delayed?” Omar asked.

“Yes, but I still have a ton of things to do before he gets here. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“You’re not going to stand me up tonight, are you?” Omar asked.

It was tempting. Very much so. But Gabrielle knew that if she stood him up, he would just come back another day.

“No. 6:00. I’ll meet you there.”

* * *

Omar was smiling from ear to ear as he left the Cable Four studio building. Finally, Gabrielle was going to go on a date with him.

Well, not a date... Not according to her. But according to him, it was. She might be giving him the cold shoulder, but the heat between them was undeniable. In a setting where she could be relaxed, have a glass of wine, he was certain that her icy facade would melt.

Omar’s charm had never failed him before. He didn’t expect it to now.

As he reached his late-model BMW SUV, his cell phone rang. Omar dug it out of his pocket and saw Kelly Knight’s face was flashing on his screen.

He made a face, wondering why she was calling him. She was a police detective, and he knew she was working the case of the arsonist. But any official business she had was with arson investigators, not him.

“Hello?” Omar said into the telephone.

“Hey, sexy.”

“What’s up?” Omar asked, keeping his tone businesslike.

About a year ago, he and Kelly had been involved. Their liaison had been brief and casual. Afterward, there had been no hurt feelings, and they’d remained casual friends. He and Kelly spoke only rarely these days, when work required it. Except for the occasional text, which was usually some sort of joke she was passing along.

“I was just wondering what you were doing later,” Kelly said.

“Meeting a friend for dinner,” Omar replied.

“Oh.” Kelly sounded disappointed.

Omar’s brow furrowed. She hadn’t called him to get together in... Well, in a year.

“Why? Something up?”

“I was just hoping that you had some time. Maybe we could do something.”

Where was this coming from? “Sorry. I don’t.”

“All right. I was feeling a little...frisky.” She laughed airily.

“Oh.” So that’s why she was calling.

“When you get some time, call me,” she said, her tone definitely suggestive. Then she hung up.

Omar walked the rest of the way to his car, thinking that if this had been any other time, he would have definitely taken Kelly up on her offer. Especially given that it had been a few months since he had been intimate with a woman. A dry spell for him—at least that’s what the guys at the station would say. But lately, he had tired of meaningless relationships. Scratching an itch wasn’t as fun anymore when he barely had two words to say to the woman in the morning.

Maybe that meant he was getting old. Maybe that meant he was getting lame.

Or maybe, it had just been that he had grown uninspired.

Until now.

No, he would not be calling Kelly at any point to take her up on her offer. The only woman he was interested in getting to know right now was the beautiful Gabrielle Leonard.